New York’s Bollinger Motors, which will debut its all-electric SUV this summer, has released a photo of the vehicle’s chassis. The utilitarian looking aluminum structure appears to house the inverter, motors and other electronics in the spine of the chassis, with the batteries located to either side and between the axles. Weight for this structure is just 295 lb., and a high-strength steel rollover structure offers maximum protection for the driver and passengers and a convenient support structure for the square-rigged body.

Suspension is by upper and lower high-strength steel A-arms front and rear with canted hydro-pneumatic damper units at each corner, and has 10 inches of wheel travel. The anti-roll bars can be disconnected for greater wheel articulation off road, and the suspension is self leveling. Front and rear tracks are equal at 68 inches, while the wheelbase is 105. Base ride height gives 15.5 in. of ground clearance, and an approach angle of 56 degrees, departure angle of 53 degrees and a break over angle of 33 degrees. The eight-lug aluminum wheels carry LT285/70R-17 tires, and are driven by an electric motor at each axle via geared axle hubs.

Baby Driver

At first it looked like a late April Fool’s press release, but further reading shows its real. Ford engineers working with Spanish creative studio Espada y Santa Cruz have developed Max Motor Dreams, a bassinet that — via a smartphone app — can replicate the motions, sounds and light signatures of a late-night drive.According to Max Motor Dreams designer and Espada y Santa Cruz employee Alejandro López Bravo,“After many years of talking to moms and dads, we know that parents of newborns are often desperate for just one good night’s sleep. But while a quick drive in the family car can work wonders in getting baby off to sleep, the poor old parents still have to be awake and alert at the wheel.” By recording a nighttime drive via the smartphone app, parents can download the captured information into the crib, where speakers, LED lights and electric motors replicate the lights, motor sounds and vehicle motions necessary to send the baby off to Dream Land. Now they don’t have to take that midnight drive. They can tuck their little one into its bed, and go for a ride without ever having to leave the house.

Currently a one-off project, numerous inquiries and offers to buy the device have forced its creators to consider putting it into production.

Electrifying China

With some of the world’s worst air pollution in it major cities, China is a prime market for electric vehicles. (Though the fact that much of the electricity used to charge them will come from coal-fired electric plants whose scrubbers have been turned off to reduce costs and increase efficiency may lessen their impact.) To this end, Ford announced it will increase production of electrified vehicles in the country by adding the Mondeo (a.k.a. Fusion) Energi plug-in hybrid to the Changan Ford joint venture plant where the Mondeo Hybrid currently is built. Ford also plans to electrify the full range of models produced in the plant, begin local manufacture of electrified powertrain in China by 2020, and expand its electrified powertrain engineering resources to support the development of next-generation EV technology.

Almost lost in the announcement was the fact that Ford will produce an all-electric small SUV in China within five years. It will have an estimated range of 280 miles, and also be sold in North America and Europe. Where the electric SUV will be built is anybody’s guess at this point, though it would make sense to begin global production in China before shifting European and North American production closer to home as demand in those areas rises.

Yet Another Lotus Evora Variant

The Evora Sport 410 GP Edition has been developed by Lotus Exclusive to celebrate the marque’s return to the U.S. market. Based on the Evora Sport 410, the GP Edition adds a tasteful black and gold John Player Special paint and trim package to the standard car, and an additional $5,800 to the bottom line. This means the GP Edition, of which only five will be made, sells for $110,000 and is 30 times more exclusive than the Sport 410.

Though the black and gold livery is perhaps the most memorable ever worn by a Lotus F1 car, it is not the only one. Prior to its adoption, Lotus racers wore red, white and gold Gold Leaf colors, and — before advertising made its way to the sport — British Racing Green with a yellow stripe. Which means the British sports car maker has more color schemes to choose from for its next limited edition model.

2017 Honda Civic Si Sedan and Coupe

We’ll hit the highlights on this one since, other than the styling changes, the big news is under the hood and at each corner. Which means the powertrain in the Si twins share is the same DOHC 1.5-liter turbo motor found in the Civic and CR-V, but with more power and mated to a six-speed manual transmission. No CVTs here. The engine produces 205 hp, which arrives 1,300 lower in the rev range, and 18 more lb.-ft. of torque (for a total of 192) that shows up 2,300 rpm earlier and is available over 70% of the rev range.

The comfort, convenience and connectivity features are shared with the Civic EX-T trim level, and all Si models are equipped with a 450-watt, 10-speaker audio system. They Si Sedan and Coupe go on sale in May with an MSRP in the mid-$20,000 range.